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Sunday, October 1, 2017

‘I’m disappointed with some South-East leaders over IPOB’ – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says he is disappointed in some community leaders who failed to caution “hot-headed” youth calling for the dismemberment of the country.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been seeking a sovereign state, citing marginalisation of Igbo people as its reason.

In his Independence Day broadcast, Buhari said his government will not and cannot allow such advocacy.

Recalling his days in the army, Buhari said most of those calling for the division were not born during the tragic civil war, which led to the loss of two million lives.

“As a young army officer, I took part from the beginning to the end in our tragic civil war costing about 2m lives, resulting in fearful destruction and untold suffering. Those who are agitating for a re-run were not born by 1967 and have no idea of the horrendous consequences of the civil conflict which we went through,” he said.

“I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there, the consequences of such folly.

“At all events, proper dialogue and any desired constitutional changes should take place in a rational manner, at the national and state assemblies. These are the proper and legal fora for Nntional debate, not some lop-sided, un-democratic body with pre-determined set of objectives.